Tide
by oohhlamode
Summary: Five friends embark on a Spring Break trip to a luxurious resort in Myrtle Beach. However, the drama rises just as high as the tide, and you won't believe what happens next. [Read&review]
1. Chapter 1

There was nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing. I was certainly making progress. I tossed some freshly laundered Victoria's Secret underwear (XS for my unfortunate lack of ass) in my suitcase, which added to the freshly laundered socks I had thrown in moments before. So, I now had two things packed---try not to pat me on the back _too_ hard. Determined to be undeterred by the fact that I had to be packed and ready by no later than 5 o'clock a.m., exactly half an hour from now, I let myself fall back calmly (and gracefully, I'd like to think) on my unmade bed.

Immediately, the heart-wrenching sound of cracking glass met my ears, and I rolled over to retrieve a freshly ruined pair of my favorite Steve Madden sunglasses from under my butt. Fuck. And lucky me, they had snagged an ugly hole in my mesh tunic. Double fuck. Clearly God was punishing me for constantly lounging around on my huge throne of procrastination. I sat there like an idiot, pondering this unfortunate detail, when my cellphone sang out a sassy little number from Shakira's latest. I jumped to silence it, hopeful the parentals wouldn't stir from their room, which was separated from mine by only a single wall. And a thin one at that, meaning that on most nights they could hear me rustling about in my room; and I, most unfortunately, could hear them doing a slightly _different_ rustling in theirs---excuse me while I cut off my pure, innocent ears with a machete.

_Oh God_. It was Daniel. With my luck, he and everyone else were probably coming up my driveway a whole half hour early, expecting me to jump in the car with my ass packed and ready to go. I literally laughed outloud at the thought of me bounding barefoot out of my house, frizzy hair flying, in nothing but my sky blue tunic and matching thong, dragging my luggage of underwear behind me.

Well, fuck that. If that's what it came down to, I just wouldn't go. And then I would drown myself in my too-small bathtub, because I would rather kill myself than spend a single second of the Spring Break of my junior year at home.

"Honey?"

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Yes?" I squeaked. "Yes," I said again, this time with more confidence.

"I'm so sorry, Natalie, but my mom is running behind, so we're going to be there at six instead. That ok?"

Oh Daniel. Sweet, brown-hair-blue-eyes Daniel. And certainly very uninterested-in-_me_ Daniel.

"Yes!" Before I knew it, I had squealed, danced around my room, and almost ran into a door. But finally I got a break! "Um, yes, that's understandable. It's fine. I'll be ready," I replied more calmly. _I'm such a loser_.

I heard him chuckle. "Um, ok, good. I'm glad. See you then."

As soon as I flipped my phone shut, I was dashing around my room like a tornado on uppers. Although I now had an extended deadline, I would need that time to shave my legs and my bikini line, tasks I had neglected for at least two weeks. Ok, if that's too much info, I understand.

An hour later, I was still running around when a soft knocking resounded at my front door.

"I tried to ring the doorbell . . ."

I laughed. "It's broken," I replied casually. I tucked a piece of my newly flat-ironed hair behind my ear, and he pulled me into a hug. My head barely met his shoulder, but that's neither here nor there. I signaled him to wait just one second as I gathered my belongings, locked the door, and prayed to _God _I wasn't forgetting anything, all in record speed. Linking arms in a way that only musical theatre freaks like ourselves---and all our friends, for that matter---could, Daniel and I trudged through three inches of snow to his mother's Suburban.

_I hate Michigan. _Thank God I was getting the fuck out of there, even if it was only for a week. I didn't bother to say goodbye to my family. My mom and I were engaged in our latest argument about nothing at all, and I was still fairly pissed. My little sister was off at a friend's for the night, no doubt planning her next slutty endeavor. And now I would be living _mine_! Well, minus the slut factor of course. I may be well-endowed in the chest area, but otherwise as sexually reserved as they come.

As the six of us---Daniel, his mom, yours truly, and three of our shared friends---pulled out of my driveway, I caught a glimpse of my mom's face at the door. She looked sad, which made me feel like the worst daughter in the world for purposefully neglecting to say goodbye, but I promised myself I would call her as soon as we reached Myrtle Beach. Or maybe I would cave and call her while passing through Cincinnati. _Oh what the hell._ I extracted my phone from my purse, punched seven for speed dial, and waited for her to answer. Strangely enough, so such thing occurred, so I left a voicemail telling her I was sorry and that I love and would miss her dearly.

"What's up with you and your mom?" enquired Marlena. She normally wouldn't be bothering with anyone but Daniel---her deepest, darkest, and none-too-secret obsession---on such a trip, but since Daniel was sitting up front to accompany his mother, Marlena probably decided to socialize with the rest of us. But she didn't look too thrilled about it, either. She always reminded me of a cat---one of those slinking felines with mysterious amber eyes that glow mischievously at you in the dark---and if she were one, she'd be angrily flicking her tail right now, growling in a low tone because she was annoyed, but not angry enough to hiss or spit... (wow, the things I come up with, right?). But I digress. She's really not that bad, and her eyes aren't yellow either---they're brown and match her long chestnut hair.

I shrugged. "Nothing; just our usual tiffs. You of anyone . . ." I stopped right there. I was going to say that she, if anyone, could relate to mother-daughter problems, but thank God I was able to keep my mouth shut for once. Her mom was an alcoholic, who on a daily basis told Marlena she was fat, and a bitch, and had no friends. Ok, so that's really not _too_ far from the real truth---besides the having no friends part, because she certainly had _us_---but no loving mother could say that to her daughter. And I wasn't about to give Marlena a reason to lash out at me for reminding her of bitter situations.

Thankfully, Salem jumped right in from his seat behind us, probably clueless as to the almost-mention of Marlena's mom, but eager to talk and be heard. "Did you say _tiff_?" He giggled. "That's something one of my ex-boyfriends would say."

Marlena rolled her eyes and settled back into the leather seat. The look on her face clearly read that she would much rather it just have been her and Daniel, instead of being crammed in the back seat with all the extra baggage---i.e., Julia and moi, and Salem behind us---but of course she would just have to suck it up And perhaps it would be a little more roomy if she wasn't quite so voluminous, but I of course kept these speculations to myself.

We (well, most of us) were just so grateful that Daniel's mom agreed to take us. Otherwise, we probably would not have been allowed to go. One hotel, five teenagers, seven days, zero adult supervision . . . do the math. Clearly Julia's parents did, because they were flying down in a few days to join us. They insisted it was for their own vacation, but it was obviously an overprotective parental attempt to keep a closer eye on their precious daughter, who just so happened to sport J.Lo's butt and Pamela Anderson's bust. Also joining us, on their way to Florida, would be Mike (another one of our drama friends), and his soccer buddies.

"So, guys, this is so much fun," chirped Julia in a very Valley girl-esque manner.

Marlena and I ignored this, because we both hated it when Julia put on one of her faux voices. Daniel, however, turned in his seat to face us, and said, "I know!", and proceeded to smile at us, and we---being girls and Salem, well, being gay---returned the favor. All four of us, whether or not we would admit it outloud or even to ourselves---Marlena did both the former _and_ the latter as if she were a fucking broadcasting station---were in love, or at least in lust, with Daniel. _Damn that boy._

Essentially, it was a tight fit for most of us---and had Daniel's mom not been present, we might have tried to kill each other---but the rest of the trip was blissfully drowned in naps, DVD's in the flip-down monitor, fast-food breaks, and of course, good ol' fashioned small talk. Oh, and me getting carsick and passing out in Julia's lap_. The End. _

. . . Only joking. Let me tell you: the rain hasn't even begun to _fall_ yet---let alone flood and start drowning people.


	2. Chapter 2

Suitcases were set down with a clunk! and bags and purses tossed carelessly onto couches and tables. A cell phone rang, but it was neglected. After a lightning quick peek at the bedrooms, there was a sole but extremely crucial mission at hand, and it could not be put off a single moment without risking internal combustion.

Uno. Dos. Tres.

The sliding glass doors were flung open with such strong anticipation it was a wonder they didn't jam or break. And then the world went into tableau.

Embracing us like long-lost family, the ocean breeze swayed around us, enticing us to jump off the balcony into its resplendent entity. Our hearts raced, yet we were at ease. We wanted to scream with relief, yet we couldn't breathe. It was just after midnight, but most things were still visible in the moon's ghostly glow, and our imaginations took care of the rest. Gazing outward, we saw millions of miles of diamond-encrusted ocean, nestled off the shore of our luxurious resort, ever so complete with palm trees, white sand, and---well, we hoped--sexy tourists (with the exception of a few obviously fat men floating around the lazy river). It was certainly no Mexico or Miami, but it was pretty damn paradisical.

"Julia, you're stepping on my foot," Marlena pointed out, shattering the trance.

"Oh, sorry," said Julia absent-mindedly.

The five of us slowly turned and re-entered the room one by one, with me being the last to linger. Daniel's mom, who had not joined us in our in our frantic little teenage rampage on the balcony, was unpacking a cooler and placing water bottles in the fridge.

"It's nice, huh?" She remarked knowingly. I glanced at her and smiled, wondering how it must have been for her to raise Daniel on her own. I didn't have all the details, but from what Daniel told me (and from what other people gossiped), his father left them when he was seven or eight and hasn't paid child support since. But regardless, Daniel's mom did a damn good job. Daniel was sweet and polite, not to mention incredibly hot---which was no surprise, as he certainly inherited his mom's light brown hair, deep blue eyes, and lovely facial features.

"So," Marlena said. "We totally call the bedroom down the hall with the balcony." She smirked.

Daniel's face fell slightly. "I knew it!"

Salem just shrugged, rifling a hand through his permanently untidy hair. "You guys can have it. There's still this balcony," he said, gesturing to the large one in the living area from which they had just emerged. He poked Daniel in the ribs.

"Ow!" replied Daniel, rubbing his side. "Oh fine." He rolled his eyes but nonetheless in good humor.

"Aww, thanks guys," I replied graciously, hugging both of them. I could feel Marlena's eyes burn through my skin, even with my back to her, but I disregarded it. There was no room for her jealousy nor my insecurity in paradise.

"Yeah, thanks!" chirped Julia, beaming at them. Then her cell phone sounded, and she launched into a flurry of text messaging.

We scattered, hauling our heavy belongings behind us, to our chosen rooms---the plan being to meet down at the hot tub in ten.

"My humps---my humps, my humps, my humps---my lovely lady lumps...in the back and in the front!" Julia sang, dancing around in front of the full-length mirror on the door. If Fergie were here, she would definitely declare this a fergalicious moment at its finest. Julia could practically be her sister---they had the same blond hair, huge booty and nice voice---but Julia's boobs could beat Fergie's in a boxing ring any day.

"Stop checking yourself out," Marlena quipped.

"Check it out!" I interjected, finishing the chorus. "Goodness that song is old." I finally managed to stretch my bikini top over my unfortunately large chest and glared at myself in the mirror. No matter where or how I pulled and tugged at the material, my boobs still poured out of it. And so much for straightening my hair---in this humidity, it was back to being frizzy and wavy.

Apparently I was unconsciously making little noises of irritation, for Marlena turned around on the bed and inquired, "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"My boobs," I deadpanned.

"Natalie," said Julia. "Look at mine. Mine are even bigger than yours. Deal with it." This was true. In fact, all three of us were overly well-endowed in that area. However, I suspected that if Marlena lost weight, she'd be relatively flat.

Marlena rolled her eyes. "You two kill me."

"So how many guys do you think Salem is going to try to hit on these next seven days?" Julia asked.

"Try being the key word," I pointed out.

Julia shuttered. "Never mind. I'd rather not think about it."

Marlena nodded in a comical manner, swinging one of her bent arms back and forth, not unlike Salem's trademark move. "He's a dirty lil' fag all right." This made Julia and I laugh hysterically. We loved Salem---really we did---but making fun of him came naturally. In fact, we all made fun of each other all the time, and sometimes we just didn't know when to stop.

But the real question was---how many girls did we think would try to hit on Daniel once the sun came up? But I dared not ask this---not only did I not want to antagonize Marlena, but I didn't want to know the answer. Fucking Daniel. Why did he have to be so fucking hot? Why did I have to be so insecure? Plenty of guys have told me I'm pretty damn sexy myself. But it's not like I actually believe those horny womanizers. They just want to get into my size zeros and squeeze my D's---you know how it is.

"Ok," I declared, slipping into a sheer sarong and white flip-flops. "Let's go."

"Yeah, whatever. We were waiting on you, you little slut," Marlena insisted, not unkindly.

"You missed it," announced Salem when we reached the hot tub. "A guy totally just hit on Daniel."

Looking more than uncomfortable, Daniel merely shrugged. "Yeah, it was... really awkward... is what it was."

"Oohh, was he cute?" Marlena teased.

Daniel crossed his arms. "Oh shut---"

"Yes," Salem interjected. "Very."

Daniel cleared his throat noisily. "So, what took you guys so long to get down here?"

Julia and Marlena turned to glare at me---mockingly, I hoped. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, you know---a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

Salem gasped in dramatic horror. "Dear God, Natalie. I had no idea you were such a whore. Wow, you really finished him---"

"---Or her," Marlena added, wiggling her eyebrows. Ha. As if _that_ would ever happen.

"---Off quickly." Leaning over to whisper in an almost conspiratorial tone, Salem added, "You _must_ teach me your secret," and winked.

"You… guys," Daniel managed between gulps of laughter.

I tried to splash Salem, but he ducked underwater before I got the chance, and I splashed Julia instead, who in turn tried to splash me but got Marlena who splashed me, and so forth.

"Uggh, this water is far too bacterialistical to be putting your face in it," Daniel proclaimed, shifting in his spot by the steps to avoid getting splashed. But too late. Marlena and Julia were already devouring him with rain showers, only stopping when Daniel threatened to get out---because we were "ruining his hair."

"Bacterialistical?" Marlena repeated incredulously. "Spell that."

Daniel wiped chlorine from eyes. "B-a-c-t-e-r… Bacterialist… i-a… bact---oh, fuck it. Who cares."

Marlena laughed. "So dumb," she said, shaking her head in mock condescendence. Daniel looked like he was going to splash her again, but he must have thought about his hair for he didn't act on it.

"This is the life," marveled Salem, who had resurfaced and was now folding his arms behind his head. It certainly was.

I wished it could last forever.


End file.
